article · Molecules
Extracts obtained from the larvae of the Oriental hornet, Vespa orientalis, demonstrate anticancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties when tested on MCF7 breast cancer cells. Both aqueous and alcoholic larval extracts at five percent concentration suppressed breast cancer cell growth while remaining non-toxic to normal Vero cells. The extracts triggered programmed cell death by altering apoptotic gene expression, reduced reactive oxygen species, and enhanced key antioxidant enzymes. Furthermore, the extracts suppressed cell migration by modifying migration-related genes and decreased the expression of inflammatory markers. Analysis of the chemical composition confirmed the presence of flavonoids and phenolic compounds, notably resveratrol, naringenin, and rosmarinic acid. While both extracts showed efficacy, the aqueous extract delivered stronger anticancer and antioxidant responses, whereas the alcoholic extract proved more effective at reducing inflammation. These findings indicate that the extracts may serve as natural therapeutic adjuvants.
Natural compounds from insects offer potential alternative routes for developing cancer treatments that target diseased cells without harming healthy tissue. Demonstrating that hornet larval extracts can selectively halt breast cancer cell growth, limit migration, and reduce inflammation provides biological evidence for exploring insect-derived compounds as candidates for therapeutic development.
This work points towards potential applications for pharmaceutical or nutraceutical developers seeking natural adjuvants to complement conventional anticancer therapies, or functional ingredients for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory formulations. However, because the evidence is limited to in vitro cellular assays and chemical profiling, the findings represent very early-stage laboratory research that requires extensive preclinical testing, active compound isolation, and safety validation before any commercial translation is possible.
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The use of insects as a feasible and useful natural product resource is a novel and promising option in alternative medicine. Several components from insects and their larvae have been found to inhibit molecular pathways in different stages of cancer. This study aimed to analyze the effect of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of <i>Vespa orientalis</i> larvae on breast cancer MCF7 cells and investigate the underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that individual treatment with 5% aqueous or alcoholic larval extract inhibited MCF7 proliferation but had no cytotoxic effect on normal Vero cells. The anticancer effect was mediated through (1) induction of apoptosis, as indicated by increased expression of apoptotic genes (<i>Bax</i>, caspase3, and <i>p53</i>) and decreased expression of the anti-apoptotic gene <i>Bcl2</i>; (2) suppression of intracellular reactive oxygen species; (3) elevation of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, and GPx) and upregulation of the antioxidant regulator <i>Nrf2</i> and its downstream target <i>HO-1</i>; (4) inhibition of migration as revealed by in vitro wound healing assay and downregulation of the migration-related gene <i>MMP9</i> and upregulation of the anti-migratory gene <i>TIMP1</i>; and (5) downregulation of inflammation-related genes (<i>NFκB</i> and <i>IL8</i>). The aqueous extract exhibited the best anticancer effect with higher antioxidant activities but lower anti-inflammatory properties than the alcoholic extract. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of several flavonoids and phenolic compounds with highest concentrations for resveratrol and naringenin in aqueous extract and rosmarinic acid in alcoholic extract. This is the first report to explain the intracellular pathway by which flavonoids and phenolic compounds-rich extracts of <i>Vespa orientalis</i> larvae could induce MCF7 cell viability loss through the initiation of apoptosis, activation of antioxidants, and inhibition of migration and inflammation. Therefore, these extracts could be used as adjuvants for anticancer drugs and as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents.
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DOI: 10.3390/molecules26113303
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